1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates,generally, to devices for abrading to marginal edges of hard contact lenses, and more particularly relates to a cone-shaped device provided with a plurality of polish-containing grooves that effects the desired abrading attendant rotation of such device when the edges to be abraded are disposed within the grooves in contacting relation with the polish.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A patentability search that was conducted by the inventor prior to the filing of this disclosure found the following United States patents in the general field of this invention U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,489,606 (1924) to Long; 2,633,788 (1953) to Stuck; 2,693,058 (1954) to Hagstrom; 2,782,570 (1957) to Ische; 3,032,934 (1962) to Johnsa; 3,143,829 (1964) to Brauchle; 3,405,482 (1968) to Brandt and 3,520,091 (1970) to Raphael.
An earlier application disclosing less subject matter than the present application was prosecuted before the Office and the following U.S. patents were located in the course of the Office's search: U.S. Pat. Nos. Re. 19,799 to Elliot (1935); 997,764 to Eggers (1911); 2,203,788 to Jenks (1940); 2,324,377 to Fischer (1943); 3,722,143 to Cottom (1973); 3,835,590 to Hoffman (1974); 3,882,641 to Montgomery and others (1975) and 3,143,829 to Brauchle (1964). Two French patents were also located at that time, to wit: Pat. Nos. 588,638 to Nicole (1925) and 2,481,634 to Briot (1981).
In view of the vast scope and content of the prior art as made apparent by the number of earlier patents, each of which contains numerous teachings and suggestions, it is clear that the most pertinent prior art cannot be identified unless reference is made to the invention itself. Once the present invention is disclosed, those patents of the prior art having the most similarity to the invention can be identified, but the differences between such earlier inventions and the present invention do not define the differences between the present invention and the prior art taken as a whole, of course.
The earlier disclosures identified by the present invention as containing teachings most pertinent to the present invention are the Fischer and Briot disclosures.
Briot teaches the concept of a grinding wheel having a plurality of grooves with different diameters, and Fischer shows that cone-shaped grinding elements are known.
There is a clear need for a device that can polish or otherwise abrade the marginal edges of hard contact lenses. Abrading the lenses gives them a better fit, and in many cases allows them to be worn longer by the eye patient.
There is also a pressing need for such a device that has utility in connection with lenses of differring dioptric powers.
Despite the need for an apparatus or device that will accomplish the desired edge polishing, opticians are currently accomplishing the same by hand.